After firing Columbus Police Chief Joseph St. John Tuesday, the City Council will take applications for his replacement through Aug. 25.
If all goes well, the city should have a new chief within the next four months, said Mayor Robert Smith.
“We”re not going to rush,” he added.
The city will use the same approach it used to find St. John, who was fired because he missed a June 17 Civil Service Commission hearing after drinking a fifth of Jack Daniels early that morning.
Human Resources Director Pat Mitchell said the city will begin advertising next week in several publications, including magazines geared toward police officers.
After the August deadline, a council search committee will review applicants, Smith said.
The 2007 search netted 36 applicants, although only 28 met the qualifications, Mitchell said. The search committee then narrowed that group down to five applicants, then down to St. John.
After voting 5-1 to fire St. John in executive session Tuesday, councilmen voted 4-1, with one abstaining, to make the head of the Criminal Investigations Division, Lt. Selvain McQueen, interim police chief.
McQueen, who is running for Lowndes County sheriff, would be eligible to apply for the position, Smith said.
The city released a notice of vacancy today, which outlines what the position requires. The salary range for the job is $70,000 to $75,000.
Among other qualifications, applicants must have a degree from a four-year college and 10 years of experience, including five years in a supervisory position as a division commander, assistant police chief or chief.
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